(lord) tell me how to say no to this
by Marvelgeek42
Summary: It takes him a while to realize that her body had disappeared. He doesn't have the time to worry about it right now. He regrets that decision later. [Major Character Deaths] Part 1 of "hate the sin (love the sinner)"


**I am a terrible human being.**  
 **I was just about to start a happy au, but then I decided to do this instead.**

 **Philip is 10.**  
 **Angelica is 7.**  
 **Alex Jr. is 6.**  
 **James Alexander is 4.**

 **Alex is still Treasury Secretary.**

 **Word Count: 1,005**

* * *

 _ **(lord) tell me how to say no to this**_

* * *

Alexander is at his wife's side when she mutters her last words.

"Promise me...Alexander…" she looks him into the eyes. "Take care of our children for me."

He takes her right hand with both of his and brings it towards his wet face. "I promise, my love. But we can do it together, please." He sobs. "Just stay with me."

Her chest rises one last time.

Then it sinks.

It doesn't rise again.

All life has left her.

( _Alexander wakes up in his mother's arms._

 _It takes him a few seconds to realize her chest isn't moving_ )

And Alexander falls onto it and starts sobbing uncontrollably.

* * *

It takes him a while to realize that her body had disappeared.

He doesn't have the time to worry about it right now.

He regrets that decision later.

* * *

A week later he has yet to settle into a habit.

It wasn't easy to handle five children, especially since one of them was a newborn. If it wasn't for the servants, he probably would have failed already.

And Philip, his wonderful Philip, does his best to help. He can't do much—he is only ten years old and, contrary to Alexander himself, he still is a child—but he and Angelica entertain Alexander Jr and James as long and good as they can, so that he can concentrate on getting John to survive.

( _Alexander isn't sure he can handle another John he loves dying_

 _He is not sure he is that strong._ )

He does fail eventually, but he's thankful for all the help he gets.

* * *

John dies a week after Eliza.

Alexander can't figure out a reason for it, he just wakes up one morning to discover his youngest son dead in his crib.

He falls on his knees and sobs.

( _His little brother and sister, the twins, they died before they were a week old._

 _They were small._

 _So small._ )

Alexander only collects himself when he hears a quiet voice asking " _¿Papá?_ " A tiny hand tugging on his sleeve " _Papi, ¿qué pasa?_ "

He looks up and sees James standing in front of him. His son's eyes full of worry.

Alexander takes a deep breath and replies. " _John está con mamá ahora._ "

James frowns. "Con los ángeles, ¿quieres decir?"

Alexander nods. " _Sí._ "

" _¿No volverá tampoco?_ " Junior's voice appeared from behind him.

Alexander turns around and spots his other three ( _living_ ) children.

" _Me temo que sí._ " His voice quivers.

Their faces all drop at once.

The entire family (or what is left of it) ends up crying on the floor for hours.

* * *

When everything starts to get weird and terrifying and, quite frankly, insane, Alexander is at work.

The children are all with their mother's family, because Alex has to distract himself before he can act as some sort of rock for his children.

He is already buried neck-deep in his work when he hears some noise behind him.

Alexander turns around and instantly wishes he didn't.

Eliza's body is there, still bloody from the birth, her clothes unchanged, but it doesn't seem like her at all. The posture and expression is all wrong. This is too arrogant for her, to scheming and it shows more ill intent in a second than Eliza had ever had in her life.

This being looks like his wife, but this isn't his Betsy standing in front of him.

"Who are you? Why are you doing this to me? Why are you posing as my wife?"

There is a grin on not-Eliza's face as she nod like she had just heard of him the first time.

"My my, I was told you were smart, but no one said you were _this_ smart! I think I'm going to enjoy this more than I thought…"

"What are you talking about?!" Alexander is not screaming. It's more of a pained groan. "Who are you? _What_ are you?" He has a few ideas, but not many make sense. Why would a shapeshifter pose as his wife when they could hide in the shadows?

Not-Eliza grins and takes a bow. "My name is Lucifer. You might have heard of me."

"L-lucifer?" he stutters. He hadn't realized that the Judeo-Christian religion was real, but that was actually more plausible than anything else.

The implications of that fact was wide reacting, but now isn't exactly the best time to think about this.

"Why though? Why me? And why pretend to be my wife?"

"Ah, but this is actually your dear late wife's body."

Alexander can feel the color fading from his face. "What?"

"Oh, yes," Lucifer/maybe-Eliza chuckled. "I am inhabiting her body and thus preventing her soul from entering heaven. She agreed to it as she was already halfway gone. It's not that difficult to manage when you have the ability to operate outside of time. She didn't really know to what she was agreeing, but she did it and that is the important part."

Alexander swallowed. "Why is that?"

"Because it wouldn't work otherwise. Dear old Dad decided that Angels can only possess humans once they have consent and, despite everything, this includes me. Most Angels can possess anyone for a longer period of time, but Archangels—like me—can't do that. Do you want to know why?"

He takes a deep breath, desperately attempting to stay calm. "Why?"

"Because we have too much power. We burn them from the inside out. Only a few people, called True Vessels, can handle that for a prolonged amount of time. Do you want to guess which line passes it down in my case."

"I can guess. One that resulted in me."

"Exactly! So that leaves you with a choice. Either you leave your dear Eliza to die a second painful death or you let _me_ take over your body. I would be completely stripping you of any choice, essentially making you watch while I ruin your life. All I need for that is a simple yes."

The sadistic grin looks so wrong on his wife's face.

( _Wrong, wrong, wrong_ )

"So?"

"Yes."

How could he say no?


End file.
